This applications claims the priority of German Patent Document 102 02 985.7 filed on Jan. 26, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to the body structure for motor vehicles, especially for passenger cars with a passenger compartment structure and at least one supporting structure adjoining thereon for accommodating a driving unit and wheel suspension elements, which supporting structure is connected through holding elements with the passenger compartment structure.
A vehicle, known from French Patent No. 940,982, comprises a body structure with a passenger compartment structure, which is bounded by a front supporting structure and a rear supporting structure. Both supporting structures are formed by metallic lattice frames, one of the two supporting structures accommodating a driving unit. Bearing eye-like extensions, which are embraced by bearing forks, mounted at tubular supports of the supporting structures, lead away from the passenger compartment structure.
European Patent Document EP 0 295 661 A2 relates to a rear supporting structure, which is connected through the agency of yielding elements with a passenger compartment structure. Said supporting structure is formed by a tubular frame construction, comprising upper and lower longitudinal supports and transverse supports, between which back-up beams extend. Moreover, provisions have been made at this tubular frame construction to accommodate a driving unit and wheel suspension elements.
The periodical, IT Quattroroute 45 (2000) 531 (January), page 138, discloses a passenger car of the high-performance category, which has a body structure with a two-seater passenger compartment structure. This passenger compartment structure consists of a high-strength plastic and is interlocked directly with a driving unit, that is, a supporting structure is not interposed. The driving unit is installed between the wheel axles, however, adjacent to the rear axlexe2x80x94centrally placed engine arrangementxe2x80x94in the passenger car.
It is an aspect of the invention to provide a body structure for a motor vehicle with a passenger compartment structure, which can be connected easily with a supporting structure accommodating a driving unit. Moreover, the supporting structure should have low weight, be distinguished by a high strength and be integrated spatially advantageously in the motor vehicle.
Pursuant to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this aspect may be accomplished in that the supporting structure, having a region connecting to the passenger compartment structure and a rear end region, is constructed as an enveloping device of high strength which is reinforced with a supporting device and surrounds the driving unit all around at least regionally, the enveloping device having several openings, providing access to the driving unit, and being provided with bearing mountings for the driving unit and the wheel suspension elements. Further distinguishing features, developing the invention, are contained below and in the dependent claims.
The main advantages, achieved with certain preferred embodiments of the invention, are to be seen therein that the supporting device of the body structure is formed as an enveloping device of the driving unit, which is tubular in cross section, comprises an internal combustion engine, a clutch and a transmission and is connected firmly with the passenger compartment structure. At the enveloping device, which is reinforced with supports and manages without reinforcing ribs, which take up space, the driving unit is held so that it can function properly and, because it consists of a high strength plastic, especially a fiberglass-reinforced plastic, weighs little and has an outstanding torsional and bending strength. Moreover, the enveloping device surrounds the outer contours of the driving aggregate basically all around, the driving aggregate being accessible through openings in the enveloping device and held by it in position at bearing mountings. These bearing mountings can be integrated easily in the enveloping device, the latter comprising an upper part and a lower part. This facilitates, on the one hand, its production and, on the other, the installation and also the dismantling of the driving unit. Finally, the possibility exists of connecting the driving unit and the enveloping device as a prefabricated module with the passenger compartment structure.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.